DANGO Database Help and Advice
- I cannot find any information about an NGO that I know exists or has existed in the past. Why?
- I have found some information about an NGO that interest me on the DANGO database. I would like to have some information about their records, but it is written opposite collections "none recorded", or I cannot click on the name of the collection. Why is it?
- How can I get further information about the records of a given organisation?
- Is the information given accurate?
- How do DANGO keywords work?
- I cannot find the answer to my question. What can I do?
1. I cannot find any information about an NGO that I know exists or has existed in the past. Why?
The DANGO database currently contains circa 3900 NGOs (June 2008). However, only those records that are complete are displayed online. Therefore, this is still a work in progress and the omission of an NGO on the DANGO website does obviously not mean that the NGO does not exist. When an NGO is missing, it is probable that we are still working on the records of that organisation and that the information will be added soon on the DANGO website (new records are being added every week). If, after checking the complete list of NGOs registered by DANGO you can still not find an organisation you would like DANGO to register, then please contact us. The Dango team also welcomes any comments or suggestions on how to improve the search facilities.
2. I have found some information about an NGO that interest me while searching the DANGO database. I would like to have some information about their records, but the text opposite collections displays "none recorded", or it displays the name of a collection but I cannot click on it / the collection is not displayed. Why is it?
When the information opposite "collections" reads: "none recorded", it means that DANGO currently has no information about the records of that particular NGO. It may mean that DANGO has not yet been able to research the records of that organisation, or it may mean that this organisation has not notified the NRA about the state of its archive. This often means that the NGO retains its own records and has not deposited in an archive (when an NGO deposits its records in a repository, the archives usually notifies the NRA). No collection recorded may also mean that the NGO has not yet answered the DANGO questionnaire. When the name of a collection is displayed, but is not "clickable" (i.e. there are no hyperlinks to reach a collection), then it means that DANGO is still working on collecting information and once the collection part of the record is finished, then the information will be diplayed. So come back often and check.
3. How can I get further information about the records of a given organisation?
Although every effort is made to keep the Dango database up to date, new entries and new catalogues are added all the time online; therefore DANGO's database is only meant as a first tool that will give researchers some basic information about the records available for one or several given organisations. Researchers wishing to go further should look with the name of the organisation(s) that interest them on the online databases of the NRA, A2A, Aim25, Archive Hub, Archive Network Wales and Scottish Archive Network. When a record description mentions that some records are deposited in a given archive, and if no link to an online catalogue is already provided, researchers should look again because it might have been added since Dango last checked. Researchers can often find some publications available for download from a given NGO website. Some documents (such as recent annual reports) are very often available online. Annual reports are also often available through the Charity commission and Guidestar websites. Since it would be too cumbersome to give this information (it would apply to nearly all NGOs), we do not mention it, but it is always worth checking. It is also possible to find some further information by trying to locate the papers of the founder(s) or past president(s), trustee(s), CEO(s) of a given organisation. A search with the name of an individual in the meta-databases mentioned above (NRA, A2A, Aim25, etc.) can often bring interesting results. For the purpose of the Dango database, we have often looked for name of some prominent individuals related to a particular NGO, but it is again often worth double-checking. Finally, a mere search in a search engine like Google with the name of the NGO and "archive" or "records" sometimes bring interesting (and often unexpected) results. If you find any error or any information that complements any of our descriptions, we would be very glad if you could email us, so as to be able to correct it. Please quote, where possible, the source of your information.
4. Is the information given by DANGO accurate?
The information collected for the purpose of the Dango Database is being collected by several complementary means:
1. by sending questionnaires to NGOs and asking them for some information relating to their organisation and their records.
2. by direct contact with repositories regarding specific material that they hold.
3. by compiling information available online and on paper catalogues available from the NRA, A2A, etc. and some published guides.
The information provided by NGOs themselves if often less reliable than information provided by archives; most often, questionnaires are filled in by busy members of staff (often non-professionnal archivists) who rarely have a lot of time to devote to their records / archives. While every effort has been made to double-check the information provided, this has not always been possible.
Note: more specifically, information provided regarding membership of a given organisation has often not been double checked as this often proved impossible or very difficult.
5. How do DANGO keywords work?
The NGOs featured on the database are classified by keywords, or categories, indicating their areas of interest and activity (e.g. human rights and civil liberties, or HIV/AIDS). These are not intended to form an exhaustive or comprehensive classification system, but rather to provide an initial guide for users wishing to browse the database. Most NGOs have been allocated several keywords, with some having significantly more, due to the range of their activities.
6. I cannot find the answer to my question. What can I do?
Please contact Jean-François Mouhot for more information or help.
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Published guides used to compile the database:
- Cook 2006 refers to Chris Cook, The Routledge Guide to British Political Archives, Sources since 1945, Routledge, Abingdon, 2006.
- Cook 1975 refers to Chris Cook, Sources in British Political History, 1900-1951, vol. 1, Macmillan Press, 1975.
Page last edited at: 31/03/2009 17:30:36
